[unreadable] Xavier University of Louisiana proposes to enhance and expand its biomedical research capability by renovating 8,800 square feet of recently-completed space in the Norman C. Francis Academic Science Building in order to create an Animal Resource Center. This new Animal Resource Center will include specialized animal-research procedure rooms and modern animal care facilities. This new Center will support the University's commitments to biomedical research and the Xavier Strategic Plan for expansion of the University's biomedical research program. One key objective in the Plan is to enhance the ability of science faculty-investigators, and of students as they graduate and progress to their professional careers, to become leaders at the cutting edge of knowledge development in the health-related sciences. A major goal in accomplishing this objective is to enhance their ability to compete for and secure NIH and other federal research support. The Plan includes the addition of a minimum of four new faculty who will be hired in the College of Pharmacy, funded from an endowment program recently awarded by NIH, and a minimum of five new faculty to be hired in the College of Arts and Sciences who will replace individuals who will be retiring. The primary foci of the expanded program are research aimed at eliminating health disparities and research related to diabetes and its prevention. We desperately need to improve our research infrastructure in support of this objective. Our primary research infrastructure need is to replace the existing animal care and research facilities. Occupying only 1,932 gross square feet, the current facilities are severely outdated and are inadequate to support the expansion in biomedical and behavioral research [unreadable] [unreadable]